IchthyoStar 2025

[Mark Wagner]

Hello fellow TACos,

Several of us have reserved campsites at Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park in the black Bortle 1 zone of Nevada, off the "Loneliest Highway In America" - I-50.  This is an 8 hour (for me from Los Gatos) all highway drive.  Elevation is a plus, at 7,000 feet.

The park has potable running water, bathrooms, large well spaced campsites with shade structures.

Dates are June 21-25, so departure date is set to coincide with opening of GSSP 2025.

There are 14 individual campsites, which we are completely booking to preclude non-astronomers in our area.  The only light that the park has on at night is a small light at the Ranger's residence.  A group campsite also exists some distance away, but it is described as in a ravine.

This is a true "no lights, dark as the inside as a cow's stomach" star party (thanks to Kevin Medlock for that description).  We are driving this distance to experience B1 darkness, at altitude.  So, don't sign-up if you need lights on equipment, or need for "headlamp" red-lights, green lasers, or ... you get the idea.  We want darkdark.  Computers will be allowed, but with sufficient screen shielding, and facing away from other observers/imagers.  How to assure this will be covered for those who need such advice.

The ranger advises that an area in the campgrounds is large and clear, and should work for our purposes.  Another place 2 miles from the campground was also mentioned if the first is deemed deficient.  My belief is that it may well be possible to even set up at our campsites (but that would be away from others).

Cost per campsite for 4 nights is $85.  There is a generous cancellation policy, so signing up is low risk.  There will be a no-cancel date maybe 4/1 - but transferable to others.  And if too many cancel, then a decision to entirely cancel (which I think is very unlikely)

After the initial announcement weeks ago about this event, campsites have been filling, but a few remain, for now.

If you are interested in joining the group, please contact me off-list.  itsmarkwagner at gmail.

[Mark Wagner]

Maybe this will help too:  https://parks.nv.gov/parks/berlin-ichthyosaur#

[Mark Wagner]

Just a note that all campsites are now booked up. Thanks everyone who signed up.

If anyone develops interest in going, I will start a waiting list.  Let me know privately.

Looks like a great adventure into the early Jurassic, observing light from the same period as Ichthyosaurus, 174-201 million years ago.

[Vishal Kasliwal]

That's a really great connection between the sure and our activity! 

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[Mark Wagner]

And, if we have great success, when we leave we can say "Thanks for all the fish"!

[Kurt Kuhlmann]

I plan on observing pre-icthyosaur. stuff like einstein's cross.  

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[Ted Hauter]

Indeed.

Only the Pleiades and a few moon craters are younger...

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[Mark Wagner]

I think a bunch of PN might disagree, and in fact many open clusters (sort by age) too. 

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[Ted Hauter]

That's good to know!

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[Kurt Kuhlmann]

The average distance to messier galaxies is just 25 million light years.  Too recent for me.

 

n  I Just found out about recency bias, and I’d have to say that out of all the cognitive biases, it’s my favorite.

 

Kurt Kuhlmann

 

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[Akarsh Simha]

I am a last-minute kinda guy, can't commit this far in advance especially when I don't know where I will be employed and how much vacation I will have. I'll pick up on any cancellations when they occur if I find myself able to make it.

This is an excellent initiative, Mark. Thank you for putting it together.

Regards

Akarsh

[Mark Wagner]

This is now "sold out" - all campsites are taken.  Thanks to everyone that is signed up and paid up.  If this turns out as good as it looks, an annual trip might be established.

I begin a waiting list, and announce it briefly monthly.

Akarsh, this may be the "Umling La" of US observing sites (a pinnacle), you should come if you can.  Black, high, remote, no lights, no people, well set up.  Since each campsite can hold two vehicles, it is possible to get an invite from an attendee.  Once campsite in fact already has two attendees in two vehicles.

[Ted Hauter]

Clear skies.

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[Akarsh Simha]

https://sites.google.com/view/loganvalleystarparty?pli=1

Starts a few days before Icthyostar and has some overlap with the dates. I’m told skies in Logan Valley are good. If I have vacation days and am able to travel, I’d go to Icthyostar because friends, unless the weather is substantially better at LOOP.

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[Mark Wagner]

It would be great to have you attend IcthyoStar 2025.

As this is the first year for this new "event", we are really exploring it.  The ranger has suggested two areas to set up; off the road within the park in a large open area, and if it does not "fit" then 2 miles away at a quarry.  I hope a third option is right in the campgrounds, at individual campsites. We'll see.

This is also a "sold out" event at this point.  We have all the individual campsites reserved.  With the idea that some attendees might opt out between now and the June date (and we'll set a "opt-out by" no later than date), I would like to start now starting a waiting list.

I recall the Logan Valley info, I've seen you post it/mention it before.  Its 3 hours longer drive and farther north than IcthyoStar.  Not sure about altitude, we are at I believe 7,000 feet.

Anyway, now taking waiting list names (contact me privately).  There are 14 campsites, and I think we'll probably have 15+ attendees (one site has two observers).  I expect this will be a black as it gets place with potentially great transparency due to the altitude.

Mark

[Ted Hauter]

Off campsite would be ideal for telescopes but not people.

There is a great need for a level parking lot below the entrance away from the hill that could be used for scopes and closed to cars during star parties with a swing gate.

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[Mark Wagner]

What does your first sentence mean Ted?  I'm a bit perplexed.

[Ted Hauter]

Mark hi the campsites tucked into the hillside block enough sky to warrant a flatter area away from it. Ideally a flat area could be carved out at the entrance to the campsites road. The road bends around and back in towards the campsite.

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Mark Wagner <itsmar...@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Jan 4, 2025, 2:01 PM
Subject: Re: [TAC] Re: IchthyoStar 2025

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